249 youngsters arrested for motorcyle street racing in Thailand

[webfact]

249 youngsters arrested for motorcyle street racing
Piyanut Tumnukasetchai
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- DESPITE STRICT warnings to parents and youngsters, illegal road-racing still has not stopped in 13 provinces, the director-general of the Department of Juvenile Observation and Protection said yesterday.

Wisit Wisitsora-at said police arrested 249 suspects and impounded 427 motorcycles, while the parents of 42 offenders were put on probation and 17 parents were found to have allegedly allowed their children to repeat the offence. Of the detained youth, 167 were charged with illegally modifying their motorbikes.

Wisit said the new zoning law, under which new entertainment venues would not be allowed near schools, was in the making within 180 days.

Up to 94 offenders in 25 provinces had been found in recent inspections of entertainment venues, he said, adding that 49 had been ordered to close, 62 had their liquor-selling licence revoked and 12 others were caught with illegal licences.

The 35 police officers who reportedly turned a blind eye to the street racing or law-violating entertainment venues were also transferred, he said.

Wisit's comments came after Justice Minister General Paiboon Khumchaya presided over a meeting yesterday with the committee tasked with implementing the junta's orders against street racing and entertainment venues.

Paiboon clarified that once the new zoning regulations are implemented, it will not mean that all entertainment venues near schools will be automatically closed. They will be allowed to continue operating, but face permanent closure if found violating the law, he said. The minister added that no new licences would be granted once the regulation is in place.

Those who break laws outside the newly set zones will be punished by a five-year closure, he added.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/249-youngsters-arrested-for-motorcyle-street-racin-30270921.html

-- The Nation 2015-10-15

[Emster23]

Anyone else bothered by use of the term "youngsters"? Admittedly they may be grown up brats, but to me youngster seems more fitting say age 6-9. Treat them as adults, and treat adult racers with firmness: impound the bikes for 6 months first offense and let riders spend at least weekend in jail.

[asdecas]

Only 249?

[jacko45k]

Anyone else bothered by use of the term "youngsters"? Admittedly they may be grown up brats, but to me youngster seems more fitting say age 6-9. Treat them as adults, and treat adult racers with firmness: impound the bikes for 6 months first offense and let riders spend at least weekend in jail.

Impound them, I say crush them! Although they may not be able to go to school on Monday.

[asdecas]

I remember living on Soi Lang Suan thirty years ago, lying awake in the early hours, listening to the lads racing on Rachadapisek and contemplating the advantages of piano wire strung taut across the road at throat height....

[gandalf12]

Anyone else bothered by use of the term "youngsters"? Admittedly they may be grown up brats, but to me youngster seems more fitting say age 6-9. Treat them as adults, and treat adult racers with firmness: impound the bikes for 6 months first offense and let riders spend at least weekend in jail.

Impound them, I say crush them! Although they may not be able to go to school on Monday.

School is dependant on having a motor bike? Of course it is how silly of me. Let them do something novel like walking

[Searat7]

Start firing the policemen who are not enforcing laws....all of the transfers are a joke and it's likely that those transferred will continue to be ineffective in their new positions. There is no respect for the law here because there is no enforcement.

[chrisinth]

What exactly does zoning laws have to do with illegal motorcycle racing?

Am i missing something, are they going to have designated areas for this "illegal" event?

[GAZZPA]

Anyone else bothered by use of the term "youngsters"? Admittedly they may be grown up brats, but to me youngster seems more fitting say age 6-9. Treat them as adults, and treat adult racers with firmness: impound the bikes for 6 months first offense and let riders spend at least weekend in jail.

Impound them, I say crush them! Although they may not be able to go to school on Monday.

Totally agree, if they are illegal bikes then crush them. It is the ultimate deterrent for future modifiers. I hope the police stop all modified bikes going up and down the roads and confiscate them, I see many of them here with extended wheel base, bigger tyres and a whole load of modifications designed to enhance performance... Crush the lot of them.. I suspect doing this will save the lives of some of these "youngsters".

[FloridaExport]

What exactly does zoning laws have to do with illegal motorcycle racing?

Am i missing something, are they going to have designated areas for this "illegal" event?

It's just a typical Thai article. They start off on one subject and slap on another topic that has nothing to do with the original. In this case they sandwiched alcohol zoning into an article about illegal racing.

[rodknock]

wow, some more dog and pony show!

police transferred, they should be fired. i guess being a police man is like going to school here, they can never be failed.

what a system, they will still want to receive there brown bags!!

how many people were not arrested due to brown bag donations.

what will the punishment be, a new "I"phone from parents, so when they are not racing they can do phone!!

parents do not care about the upbringing of there children, as long as they do not bother them.

[sawadee1947]

they should pay a hefty fine....so about 100 Baht or so.....

[MESmith]

Only 249?

One got away.

[overherebc]

Anyone else bothered by use of the term "youngsters"? Admittedly they may be grown up brats, but to me youngster seems more fitting say age 6-9. Treat them as adults, and treat adult racers with firmness: impound the bikes for 6 months first offense and let riders spend at least weekend in jail.

Impound them, I say crush them! Although they may not be able to go to school on Monday.

Totally agree, if they are illegal bikes then crush them. It is the ultimate deterrent for future modifiers. I hope the police stop all modified bikes going up and down the roads and confiscate them, I see many of them here with extended wheel base, bigger tyres and a whole load of modifications designed to enhance performance... Crush the lot of them.. I suspect doing this will save the lives of some of these "youngsters".

Not 100% sure but I think they do crush them in Vietnam.

[brownknees]

_{The police here are just like a freemasons society!They look after each other,we asked for some help in what appeared to be a scam by a police officer from a police colonel and his reply was "sorry cannot interfere"!!!!I say let the boys race,the gene pool here needs depleting .}

[jpb1963]

maybe the person writing the article is easily distracted

what exactly does zoning have to do with street racing again?

[mancub]

What exactly does zoning laws have to do with illegal motorcycle racing?

Am i missing something, are they going to have designated areas for this "illegal" event?

It's just a typical Thai article. They start off on one subject and slap on another topic that has nothing to do with the original. In this case they sandwiched alcohol zoning into an article about illegal racing.

Supplemented with a photo depicting....not a single motorcycle !

[springheeled jack]

I think in the years the junta are in power we will see more and more closures of entertainment venues it is obvious they don't like to see people enjoying themselves and there will be very little left for tourists to come here for.

[exbikey]

Anyone else bothered by use of the term "youngsters"? Admittedly they may be grown up brats, but to me youngster seems more fitting say age 6-9. Treat them as adults, and treat adult racers with firmness: impound the bikes for 6 months first offense and let riders spend at least weekend in jail.

Impound them, I say crush them! Although they may not be able to go to school on Monday.

Totally agree, if they are illegal bikes then crush them. It is the ultimate deterrent for future modifiers. I hope the police stop all modified bikes going up and down the roads and confiscate them, I see many of them here with extended wheel base, bigger tyres and a whole load of modifications designed to enhance performance... Crush the lot of them.. I suspect doing this will save the lives of some of these "youngsters".

Likewise, I'm in complete agreement of the crushing of the bikes, terrific idea.

I too see many modified bikes, however the mods for the younger riders around where I live in Phuket seem to be limited to changing the handlebars for something much narrower, using 'pencil thin' tyres (narrower tyres are better in snow - which we don't get a lot of in Phuket, narrower tyres not so good in the rain - which we do get a fair amount of) and, the most annoying of all, exchanging the legal (reasonably quiet) exhaust/silencers for the (presumably) non street legal exhausts/silencers that are far from quiet.

In fact I think it would be a good idea to crush the bikes of anyone caught riding one without i)a driving licence, ii)valid insurance, or iii) road tax.

[EJK]

Go hard or go Home

Good old thai boys

[Artisi]

Only 249?

One got away.

for once it wasn't the usual well documented statistic of 249.36

Edited October 15, 2015 by Artisi

[NCC1701A]

someone at The Nation used the merge documents function.

[NoshowJones]

Anyone else bothered by use of the term "youngsters"? Admittedly they may be grown up brats, but to me youngster seems more fitting say age 6-9. Treat them as adults, and treat adult racers with firmness: impound the bikes for 6 months first offense and let riders spend at least weekend i

I hope as many of these racers die in a crash as possible, then they will be off the road for good, and maybe save some innocent lives.

[MESmith]

What exactly does zoning laws have to do with illegal motorcycle racing?

Am i missing something, are they going to have designated areas for this "illegal" event?

It's just a typical Thai article. They start off on one subject and slap on another topic that has nothing to do with the original. In this case they sandwiched alcohol zoning into an article about illegal racing.

Supplemented with a photo depicting....not a single motorcycle !

But it's a street

[NickJ]

So......Entertainment venues, Bars. What about Restaurants with beer???......or will it be at the All Mighty RTP To decipher??????

[lovelomsak]

I say let them have fun as long as they donot hurt anyone but themselves.

Where I grew up we all street raced. I raced my 57 chevy 2dht and my 67 Beaumont 396 4 spd. Every young kid raced it was part of the ritual of maturing and fair competion and macho. We raced we paid fines and had fun. It was friday night entertainment. the macho bragging rights were a big part of it and are still remembered by all participants When the community decided to end it by organizing races at a track we all lost interest.The majority of us went on to be productive contributing citizens and raised good families with great memories of youth. No accidents racing but lots of write offs in single car accidents from drunk driving and careless driving..

Some marriages also came from activities in the back seat of these hot cars.

Edited October 15, 2015 by lovelomsak

[Thian]

Only 249?

One got away.

After he told them who his daddy was.

[easybullet3]

Start firing the policemen who are not enforcing laws....all of the transfers are a joke and it's likely that those transferred will continue to be ineffective in their new positions. There is no respect for the law here because there is no enforcement.

I think in the years the junta are in power we will see more and more closures of entertainment venues it is obvious they don't like to see people enjoying themselves and there will be very little left for tourists to come here for.

So......Entertainment venues, Bars. What about Restaurants with beer???......or will it be at the All Mighty RTP To decipher??????

This is the BEST news I have read all week...

regardless of the in's and out's, Police NEED to stop these kids from risking lives on bikes (without helmets).

FInes need to be tough...

the amount of lives SAVED every year would be amazing (if police got TOUGH on these types of bike riders).

We have lived in thailand long eough to know that Police dont get fired here.. (they get transfered). And that they country concerns itself often with selfish-interest laws that benefit themselves... and a whole load of other stupid things.

but really.. the motorbike drivers (in my opinion) are a BIG PRIORITY.

i am happy to hear about this crackdown. I really do hope it CONTINUES.

i would much rather read EVERY DAY in the news about groups of motorbike riders arrested, bikes confiscated, fines for the riders...

most of the other news here is poredictible and boring and corrupt.

motobike crackdowns will actually save lots of lives, one hopes.

[Travel2003]

I say let them have fun as long as they donot hurt anyone but themselves.

Where I grew up we all street raced. I raced my 57 chevy 2dht and my 67 Beaumont 396 4 spd. Every young kid raced it was part of the ritual of maturing and fair competion and macho. We raced we paid fines and had fun. It was friday night entertainment. the macho bragging rights were a big part of it and are still remembered by all participants When the community decided to end it by organizing races at a track we all lost interest.The majority of us went on to be productive contributing citizens and raised good families with great memories of youth. No accidents racing but lots of write offs in single car accidents from drunk driving and careless driving..

Some marriages also came from activities in the back seat of these hot cars.

Should the racing spot be in a public area?

Or privately funded area?

[lavender19]

Anyone else bothered by use of the term "youngsters"? Admittedly they may be grown up brats, but to me youngster seems more fitting say age 6-9. Treat them as adults, and treat adult racers with firmness: impound the bikes for 6 months first offense and let riders spend at least weekend in jail.

Because most Thai males only have the maturity and intelligence of of a six year old that's why